Family Reunion
by A Mad Youkai Tea Party
Summary: Inuyasha encounters someone from his past... Someone he considered family...


There was no mistaking that scent.

Inuyasha dashed through the trees, in the direction Kagome had claimed to sense a sacred jewel shard. He wasn't surprised that the wind told him the one who this scent belonged to was also in that direction. After all, Inuyasha had known since he began the search for the sacred jewel shards that was only a matter of time since they'd run into him, and they were rather close to his territory. It had been months since they crossed paths – over fifty years from the other's perspective. Inuyasha could tell that Kagome had picked up on his unease, and he had been glad she decided not comment. It didn't matter how worried he was, this confrontation was inevitable.

And it would only be worse if he intentionally put it off.

"Inuyasha" Kagome's voice distracted his thoughts, "The jewel shard is coming towards us, and fast!"

Inuyasha scoffed, "Guess the bastard finally picked up on my scent."

"You know who is in possession of the jewel shard?" Miroku asked from his position on Kirara, "How worried should we be?"

"Trust me, he won't bother you guys at all. I can handle him" Inuyasha replied.

He could feel the glare Sango was giving him for that suggestion, "We're not going to abandon you."

"Just let me handle him on my own... I don't even know if he'll really try to kill me yet" Inuyasha retorted.

Inuyasha then skidded to a stop and encouraged Kagome to climb down from his back. The others landed behind him, though he could tell they were tense and prepared to intervene if things did not go the way they desired. It never really got old, the sense of comfort having them behind him brought. It reminded Inuyasha of simpler times, when he used to have more than just a small group ready to defend him from everything. He wondered if this encountered would change that. After all, they had all mentioned that they admired him for his loyalty. An encounter with someone he had once betrayed, truly betrayed, could change their minds on their opinion of him.

He didn't like the sickening feeling that spread through him at the thought of Kagome being unable to look at him with complete trust in her eyes. He could handle disappointing the others. Hell, he could handle whatever punishment he was about to receive for his past stupidity. But if there was one thing he couldn't handle, it would be upsetting Kagome. She was always the first to reassure everyone that despite his bad attitude, he was a good guy. Disappointing her would kill him.

All too soon a whirlwind appeared from behind the trees, before it revealed the person Inuyasha had known was coming. He stood tall and proud, wolves appeared behind him and circled the area – possibly to check for danger now that they realized their leader was distracted. Kouga gave Inuyasha once over, cast a glance at those behind him, before he possessed a bored expression and rested a hand over his hip. Inuyasha started worrying for completely different reasons at that point. Kouga wasn't going to kill him, but he had definitely decided to make his life a living hell... in a different way than he expected.

"Got nothing to say anything, Inuyasha? I mean, it's been a lot longer for me than it has been for you, and you've always been ready with something stupid to say" Kouga taunted.

Inuyasha growled, "Fuck off, Kouga! You're the one who said you'd kill me if you ever saw me again, so I don't really feel to eager to chat!"

"I told you going after that stupid jewel was a suicide mission! But you definitely proved me wrong" he countered, "You decided to get yourself stuck in a fate worse than death! Do you know how hard it was to hear you had died, only to discover that you were sealed so thoroughly that only the person who had sealed you should have been able to free you?! There was nothing anyone could do because the bitch died!"

"Don't call her a bitch! And you don't know the full story, so you don't get to lecture me about it!"

"I know enough! Honestly, you've always been so stubborn. It's been the same thing since we were kids, you'd do something stupid and then I'd have to save your useless ass. Only, that time, I couldn't even do that!"

"I've saved your stupid ass enough times to even it out, you piece of shit!"

"I'm still stronger. I've won more fights between us than you have."

"You won _one_ fight! The rest all ended in draws!"

"That's still more than you!"

Behind the arguing pair of canines, Inuyasha's companions were very confused. Kirara, having sensed that the danger had (mostly like) passed, had reverted to her smaller form to rest on Sango's shoulder. Shippou and Kagome looked over at the bickering youkai, and tried to work out what was going on. Sango sent Miroku a curious look, while Miroku had decided to see if Kagome enlighten them on what was going on with their hanyou friend.

"Kagome-sama?"

Kagome sighed, "I really have no clue what's going on, Miroku-sama."

"He is the one in possession of the jewel shard though, right Kagome-chan?" Sango asked.

"Definitely, and not just one" Kagome nodded, "He's got a shard in each of his legs, and one in his arm."

That got the attention the youkai named Kouga, "Hold on, you can see the jewel shards?"

"Leave her alone, Kouga" Inuyasha snarled.

"Look, you remember those ugly birds that liked to attack us?" Kouga responded, "One of them has gotten their hands on a jewel shard, but we don't know which. They've used it's power to reek havoc on our pack... Chihiro was one of the causalities..."

Inuyasha felt his blood turn to ice at that statement. He couldn't even imagine it. Chihiro had been one of the strongest members of the eastern wolf pack, a capable leader that everyone had relied on. She had always been cunning, able to stay one step ahead of everyone she faced. But she also had one of the kindest hearts Inuyasha had known. If she died, she didn't die because of her incompetence. She would have done so to save someone else's life. Inuyasha wondered how Kouga must have felt about that, especially since without either of his parents, leadership over the eastern pack would have fallen to him.

"Inuyasha? Are you alright?"

Inuyasha turned towards his friends, "Come on, we're going to the mountains. It's about time we got rid of those birds."

"Who's Chihiro?" Miroku prompted.

"She was the leader of the _yourouzoku._ She was Kouga's mother. And, after my mother died, she was the closest thing I had to a mother..."

* * *

**A/N: This would not leave me alone, so I decided to write it out. Sorry it's rushed. Also, this is an AU where Inuyasha was raised by the wolf youkai, and is Kouga's adoptive brother. **


End file.
